Warren Buffett says "I never look at where a candidate has gone to school" on hiring

In his 2025 annual letter to shareholders, billionaire investor Warren Buffett stated he never considers a candidate’s educational background when making hiring decisions. He made the remark while discussing Berkshire Hathaway’s 2005 acquisition of RV manufacturer Forest River, noting that its leader, Pete Liegl, achieved exceptional results despite not attending a prestigious university. Buffett’s stance aligns with a growing trend among top executives—including Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon and former LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky—who increasingly value qualities like resilience, experience, and interpersonal skills over elite degrees. The observation underscores a broader shift in corporate hiring practices, as business leaders question whether traditional academic credentials remain a reliable measure of talent.